San Rafael is a city of about 59,162 people in Marin County, California. Today the sun rises at 7:24 AM and sets at 6:27 PM; the evening golden hour runs 5:51 PM – 6:43 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour by month
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:25 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 49m |
| February | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 48m |
| March | 7:22 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:35 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 6:01 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 6:00 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 33m |
| August | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 39m |
| September | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:19 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 7:20 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 33m |
Local time in America/Los Angeles, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in San Rafael
At San Rafael the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 29° in winter.
Best photo spots near San Rafael
183 photo locations lie within 80 km of San Rafael. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Scenic Viewpoints
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BeachNight sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central San Rafael is estimated at Bortle 8 (city sky). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Hitch'n Post, about 148 km (92 mi) away (Bortle 2). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from March to September, best in June.
Darkest skies within 200 km
| Location | Type | Distance | Est. Bortle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hitch'n Post | Natural Arch | 148 km (92 mi) | 2 |
| Point Arena Arch | Natural Arch | 150 km (93 mi) | 2 |
| Manchester State Park | State Park | 152 km (94 mi) | 2 |
| Point Arena Light | Lighthouse | 152 km (94 mi) | 2 |
| Greenwood State Beach | State Park | 165 km (103 mi) | 2 |
| Devils Pitchfork | Natural Arch | 165 km (103 mi) | 2 |
| Wharf Rock East Arch | Natural Arch | 165 km (103 mi) | 2 |
| Wharf Rock West Arch | Natural Arch | 165 km (103 mi) | 2 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 5:08 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.3 | 13° |
| March | 4:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.5 | 19° |
| April | 2:20 AM – 5:00 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| May | 12:19 AM – 4:09 AM | 3.8 | 23° |
| June | 10:31 PM – 3:51 AM | 5.3 | 23° |
| July | 10:24 PM – 2:24 AM | 4.0 | 23° |
| August | 9:43 PM – 12:23 AM | 2.7 | 23° |
| September | 8:49 PM – 10:19 PM | 1.5 | 20° |
| October | 8:01 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.3 | 13° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (59%). September is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.